Philautia - self-love. Internal compassion. Understanding the soul

“The most terrifying thing is to accept oneself completely.” ―C.G. Jung

Personally, I think we are mistaken when we say we must love ourselves in order to love others. Some find it easy to love themselves and hard to share that light with others. Meanwhile, some use a continuous outpouring of love towards others as a mask to hide their own perceived deficiencies.

I believe loving ourselves allows others to love us better. It is a fundamental piece of what it is to be loved. Often, through fear, we hide parts of ourselves in the shadows, thinking it will make us easier to love - but things obscured in darkness will always hurt those who reach into our lives and inadvertently rupture our facades.

Love is a powerful light that eventually strips back even the deepest of shadows. The more effort we put into maintaining our darkness, the less we have to develop deep love. Don't shortchange yourself.

Take the time to discover what you love about yourself and what makes you feel loved. Understand what love means to you. Feel out your strengths and weaknesses. When you know yourself, others can know you.

“You deserve a love that's deeper than the ocean. A love that's brighter than the sun. A love that's higher than the mountains. A love that you can only find inside yourself.”―Juansen Dizon, Confessions of a Wallflower